


Mommy's Alright/Daddy's Alright

by twelvepercentofaplan



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: Baby Groot, Gen, Humor, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, Rocket is the best dad in the galaxy, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-31 05:55:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10893102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twelvepercentofaplan/pseuds/twelvepercentofaplan
Summary: They just seem a little weird...Rocket didn't exactly expect to be the father figure to a tinier, cuter, needier version of Groot. And day by day, it's getting a little harder as time goes on.Lucky for the raccoon, someone in this odd group is willing to be the second half of Groot's "parentage", if one can call it that.Unlucky for her, Rocket is a stubborn little shit most of the time.Let's just hope Gamora doesn't punch Rocket too much as they set the best possible examples for their tiny sapling son that they can.Spoilers for Vol. 2 to come!





	Mommy's Alright/Daddy's Alright

**Author's Note:**

> HAHAHAAAA, I'm back with more bullshit.
> 
> So I started writing this waaaaay back two months ago. I intended for it to just be a nice little one off story about Gamora helping Rocket assist Groot in some things. But the ending of this first 'chapter' didn't feel like a conclusion. It felt more like a beginning.
> 
> And plus the sequel gave me a couple more ideas. So I decided to carry this series on for not than one chapter. I wanted to include a 'missing scene' idea that was inspired by another story I saw somewhere, and also the idea of where Groot learns his first swear word. I'm sure this will have an ending at some point, but I can't really be sure about how or when. Definitely won't be a long story, though.
> 
> Plus I love the Rocket/Gamora dynamic. Check Risky Business for proof. Or the Best Worst Thing.
> 
> And no, I don't think this will delve into shipping territory. Maybe some stuff will seem like it, but I know that Quill and Gams got a thing goin', or so it seems. Buuuuut, if ya squint, ya'll catch my references.
> 
> Also, sorry about any hardcore misspellings I might've missed. I write everything on my phone since I'm without a computer as of right now. Gets hard to keep track of everything on a 3x6 screen.
> 
> Anyways, here we go! Enjoy yet another story named after lyrics from the Cheap Trick track Surrender!

“Okay, let’s try again. One foot ahead of the other…”

This sentence has been spoken a total of thirty two times in this half hour period.

It's a process that many parents are familiar with: once their child learns how to stand, it's only a matter of time before the child is running around in pure joy. And it's exciting for the parents, too. They leap at the chance of being able to teach their young offspring the act of walking the second that the little person balances on their own two feet. It's a matter of patience, of course, but most people are aware of that.

But the one who’s spoken those same instructions thirty two times isn't so patient. In fact, the raccoon who sits on the floor is going absolutely bonkers in his mind, although he's biting his tongue down hard to not curse in front of the “child” in front of him.

And just who is this child?

Well…

“I… I am Groot?”  _ You're not mad? _

He is Groot.

The tiny sapling stands on two shaky legs, only eight inches tall with wide brown eyes. He scratches his wooden chin with a tiny finger, pursing his lips slightly, waiting for an answer from the smart mouthed, genius-minded creature kneeling before him.

And who is that?

The one, the only...

Rocket Raccoon, who shakes his head as he explains, exasperated. “No, I ain't mad atcha. I'm just kinda tired.” 

Tired of helping Groot? No. Rocket could never tire of helping get  his friend back in his feet ,(both literally and figuratively.) But their ragtag group of five only just got back from destroying an overgrown, mutated experiment on Veldin. It had been the Guardians of the Galaxy's first “job” since saving Xandar from destruction via Infinity Stone. It hadn't been too wearing and no one was wounded whatsoever, although the adrenaline from nearly having his ringtail chomped off by sharp, yellow mandibles did set Rocket on the edge of a heart attack.

Luckily for him, his rocket launcher is fucking enormous. And so are the explosions said rocket launcher causes.

**_Unlucky_ ** for him, though, was being covered in the thick, green blood and bodily fluids that burst out of the creature's nose and eyes when the missiles impacted the creature’s skin.

The ensuing shower the poor raccoon endured lasted a total of thirty minutes, and just scrubbing the crust out of his fur took two thirds of that time. 

So the shower was what left him exhausted, of all the damn things. Partially from scrubbing, and partially because steam makes him sleepy as shit.

But he has to help Groot walk again. His little legs aren't going to just figure it out for themselves. Rocket lucked out on the talking bit, surprisingly. One day the sprout just up and said his trademark phrase as if he had always been able to but never cared to do so. And everyone else on the ship was beginning to pick up on Groot's words. No more Rocket translations for them.

But walking?

It's been a process. Clearly.

“Alright now, just do what I said, bud.” The raccoon shifts slightly, tapping the gleaming floor in front of him with a nail lightly. “One foot ahead of the other. Then do the same with the next one, okay? But don't do it too fast. You'll lose your balance again.” He manages to bite his tongue before he can add, “ **_For the thirtieth time_ ** ” to the end of his tutorial on walking.

The flora colossus furrows his brow and clenches his jaw with a little nod, puffing his chest out slightly in determination. Slowly but surely he raises a foot and plants it forward, looking to Rocket for affirmation.

The raccoon nods. “Yep. Now just put the next one-”

“I am Groot!”  _ In front of the other! _

Rocket snorts and gives a full faced grin at the tree's excited outcry. He's a cute little twig. “Yep. Ya get it.”

After a moment's hesitation, Groot flops his other leg forward in a clumsy manner, giving a little grunt. He wobbles slightly when he sticks the landing, and Rocket puts his hands out, bracing for the sapling to fall into his hands.

But shockingly enough, Rocket doesn't have to catch the tree this time.

The tree looks down and gapes in awe, and Rocket laughs. “Haha! Finally! Good job, bud!” He hold a hand forward openly, prepared for a high five.

Groot just stares blankly, raising an eyebrow. “I am Groot?”  _ What are you doing? _

_ Oh that too. _

The poor twig doesn't understand any social cues either. A high five to Groot right now is the equivalent to a human seeing a massive Glorkon sitting on their front porch.

See? It just doesn't make sense. What's a Glorkon? We don't know! We're human!

“Uh… high five? Smack your hand on mine?”

Groot just continues to stare blankly, reaching forward as far as he can to place his hand on Rocket's palm. And sadly, the little tree falls forward.

The raccoon is fast in catching the sapling before he hits the ground. “Ah, shit. Just when I thought we were makin’ progress…” Rocket picks Groot up and sets him on the ground across from him in a seated position. “We’ll get there, Groot. Dontcha worry.”

“I am Groot?” Groot questions with a little frown on his face.  _ Are you sure? _

Rocket nods and answers earnestly. “Yeah. No need for a long face, alright?”

Suddenly, from the doorway, there is a voice. It makes Rocket jump, although there is no verbal cue that sound indicate any threat or high volume. “If you don't mind me saying, I must say, it's so strange to see you being compassionate towards someone, Rocket.”

Of all the people...

The smartass ringtail looks over and sees Gamora, the Zehoberei assassin with a heart of gold, standing up against the thick silver trim that marks the entrance of the room. Dressed in a dark colored outfit with a maroon-colored jacket that nearly matches Quill’s signature coat, she leans against the doorway with a tiny hint of a smirk on her face.

Rocket raises an eyebrow. “Well, I mean, he's just a kid, Gamora,” he says with a wave in Groot's direction. As if on cue to make Rocket’s point clearer than Felix’s waters, Groot is chewing on one of his fingers, giving Gamora a tiny wave when he fully realizes she is standing there after a moment of staring at the side of Rocket's head. Clearly his fur pattern is  **_so_ ** enthralling.

Gamora offers a wave back. “Hi,” she tells the sapling with a full smile.

The raccoon blinks in surprise.

Now, they've all been together as a “team” for a good month or so now, and Rocket’s pretty comfortable and familiar with everyone. And somehow Gamora giving Groot a smile and a wave just seems strange, almost out of her character. Now if it were Quill or Drax, it wouldn't be the weirdest thing to him. Drax was a father before. It's in his nature. And Star-Lord is just a ball of sunshine and energy in general.

But Gamora seems almost too… stoic for that sort of thing. 

And she can see the confusion on Rocket's face when she turns back toward him. “What?”

“S’weird to see you… like it's weird to see you… I dunno.” Rocket trails off as he rises to his feet, leaving the sapling to sit on the floor on his own. “Like he doesn't annoy you? Coz ya seem like the type’a girl who would hate having a kid around.”

Gamora rolls her eyes, fully understanding of the raccoon’s ignorant assumption about her. “Rocket, like you said, he’s literally a baby. You can't expect me to be as serious with him as I am with you other three complete morons. I'm not completely cold-hearted like you seem to think.”

Rocket knows she's joking about how he, Quill, and Drax are all idiots, but he also knows his assumption about Gamora was a little rude and unnecessary. “Right. Shouldn't have said that. Sorry.”

“It's not a big deal, Rocket. I'm half serious. And I get it.” Rocket goes to ask her a question, but is stopped when Gamora continues. “Peter wants you to help him with something. He couldn't disclose to me exactly what that “thing” was, but he said you'd know what it meant if I said it was about… Timothy?”

The word rings in Rocket's ear. Timothy. That's a drink Rocket likes. No, that's a drink Rocket  **_loves_ ** . And the raccoon had forgotten that he had agreed to go out for a drink with Peter after their next big sum of pay. 

And Drax would be coming as well. 

“Oh. Right. Ahem, well um. Yeah, I know what that is.” He struts past Gamora awkwardly. “I'll just-”

“You're going out to drink with Peter.”

The raccoon stops where he stands. And knowing that there's no point in hiding the obvious, he gives in immediately, his form deflating as the lie crumbles like a rocky cliff. “Okay, yes, we are. How'd ya even know?”

“I know what a Timothy is, ringtail,” Gamora responds. “It's not a clever codeword.”

The raccoon sighs. “Okay, well… he's an idiot, okay? Dunno why he wants to keep it a secret.”

“He probably doesn't want my opinion on going out and getting wasted,” she replies honestly. It's probably true. Rocket knows that Gamora's idea of a good time doesn't involve drinking every single time. It involves…

Shit.

He has no idea what Gams does in her free time. Like, she's gone out and had a few with them but it's never enough to get her drunk off her ass.

“But have your fun,” Gamora adds, without malice. “I do understand that you've been under pressure with helping this little one learn again.”

Groot, hearing the reference to himself, cries out between his fingers he's still chewing on an exuberant, “I am Groot!”

Rocket snickers. “Good thing I didn't have to teach him how to talk again. Don't understand how his language works exactly, but…” He gives a shrug. “But yeah, it's been tough. He's just a brand new Groot. Nothing like the old one I knew and all that…” Rocket scratches the back of his head. “But, um, couldja do me a favor? I know I'm an idiot but, uh…”

“What is it?”

“Couldja keep an eye on him, Gams? Ya don't gotta help him out with anything but just make sure be don't get hurt while I'm out? And make sure he has water?”

Rocket expects Gamora to tell him no, to say Groot is his responsibility, and to add that he is, indeed, an idiot, although she won't be joking with him this time around.

But when she says, “Yes,” plainly with a nod, the raccoon can't help but give her a look of full shock, ears stiff on end and eyes wide. “Wait, really?”

“Of course,” Gamora says, moving forward and taking up Groot with two bands. “He’s only a child. Someone has to watch him. Drax and I could handle it.”

“Yeeeeeah, about Drax…”

Gamora gives Rocket a flat look, immediately grasping the fact that she's going to be in this alone. “He's going with you.” It isn't a question. But she doesn't seem too keen on the idea, somehow. “Last time you were all at a bar together, you got into a fight with Drax.”

“Well, Drax and me are pretty, uh… pretty good… well-”

“Friends?” Gamora finished for him. The raccoon gives a sheepish look and a nervous laugh at the word. “I understand that you're new to this but yes, you are friends with Drax. And with Peter. And with me. There's no reason to beat around the bush, Rocket.”

“Yeah I know. Just don't worry about all’a us tonight. Think of it as time to yourself!” The raccoon advises. “Three idiots outta the Milano. Quiet. Just you 'n’ Groot. Ya could watch whatever ya want on the holos, make yourself some nice food…”

“I suppose you're right,” she decides, giving Groot a look of shock as he now has half his arm down his throat. “Groot, no, don't do that.” Carefully, she pries the tiny appendage out from the sapling's mouth with her index finger, only to be given a silly, award-winning smile from Groot.

“I am Groot.”  _ I wasn't going to go any further. _

“Groot, I understand, but please don't do it again,” Gamora replies.

Rocket is hesitant to step away. Yeah, Groot's in good hands- probably the best hands on the Milano. And he's well aware of it.

But Groot, for the time being, isn't  _ his _ hands.

But Gamora urges, “Go. We’ll be fine,” upon seeing the stressed imbecile. “You trusted me enough to ask me this favor. You know he'll be fine.”

Rocket crosses his arms and huffs a breath of relief. “Thanks, Gams. I owe ya hardcore.”

And with that, Rocket went out the door to meet with Quill and Drax outside of the Milano.

And, spoiler alert, it wouldn't be long before Rocket was back.

 

\---

 

All three of them are sitting at the bar and Rocket looks as stiff as a board. 

There's a glass that sits pressed onto the smooth glossy bar by the clenched grip Rocket has on it. If he were to slide the glass even a centimeter over, it would squeak, he's pressing down on it so hard. The Timothy is getting watered down as his ice melts fast.

And this is Rocket's first drink. 

And they waited a full twenty minutes to be admitted into this club. So he knows he should be having a good time.

But nope. He hasn't even dipped his tongue into it, as raccoons back on Earth may typically do.

And that's because he is trapped in an endless tornado of both worry and relief. A stressful thought will embed itself deep in his brain but a moment later, some sort of voice of reason comes to purge the worry away. But then the process repeats again and again and again.

_ What if Groot falls again? _

**_Well, Gamora can catch him. She does have hands._ **

_ Okay, but what if Gamora can't catch him in time? _

**_The idiot will just have to dust himself off like he usually does with you. You didn't catch him that one time before and he was fine._ **

_ What if somehow he loses a limb? _

**_Gamora won't let that happen. He's in very safe hands. He also regenerates limbs at will._ **

_ What if Gamora has some kinda psycho breakdown and just throws Groot into the fucking garbage disposal? _

**_Okay, you're just being irrational now._ **

_ But- _

**_You trust Gamora enough to leave her with what is basically your living, breathing baby son. Your judgement is all that matters, numbnuts. If anything happens to Groot while he’s under Gamora’s eye, it's likely to be your fault coz you trusted her with him._ **

This conversation he has within his tiny, genius brain is getting him nowhere. It's like mixing water and oil; you're not going to get a wonderful concoction from the two liquids. They're going to stay separate and bold in their own manners.

Rocket somehow tightens his grip on the glass. It's amazing that it doesn't crack. “Flark…” He swallows hard and twists around, nearly forgetting to leave the glass on the bar before he makes a quick walk toward the door.

“Rocket! Where-”

Rocket's surprised Quill even called after him at all, considering the woman Peter had just been chatting with’s amazing set of boo- **_guns_ ** . She has an amazing pair of  **_guns_ ** .

On her shirt.

Yeah. Rocket ain't a pervert.

“Need something from my room,” Rocket yells back in a lie before bolting out the door.

Every step back, paranoia holds onto his heart a little tighter.

_ Groot could be dead right now... _

_ Gamora could be leaving him unattended. She could be watchin’ something on the holo or makin’ something to eat... _

_ Dammit, I suggested she make herself some good food. What if Groot  _ **_IS_ ** _ good food to her?! AHHH! Roast Groot for dinner! _

The thoughts would make him sweat, if he could do such a thing.

When he makes it back to the ship, the raccoon slaps the button to enter the side hatch so hard his palm stings. He stumbles in, smacking the top of his foot on the tiny step that he didn't mind. But he ignores the momentary pain as he begins to call out, “Gro-”

And Rocket can't even finish the sapling's name before, suddenly, from the side of the room--

“I am  **_Groot_ ** !!”  _ Rocket! _

And a tiny, eight inch form starts to  **_run_ ** toward him on tiny, stump shaped legs. And fast, too. Arms spread wide and ready to attach himself to the first thing he sees, Groot is coming at him fast and with a dopey look on his face.

Rocket freezes in his place at the sight, nearly getting his tail caught in the circular door as it automatically shuts itself. 

Groot is running.

_ Running. _

_ The guy couldn't even walk an hour ago. _

A moment later, the colossus has his arms wrapped around Rocket’s lower leg, rubbing his round face against the raccoon's fuzzy, warm fur.

“What in the-” The sound of footsteps forces Rocket's gaze upward. It's Gamora, as expected. “H-How in the  **_fuck_ ** -”

“Home early.” Gamora notes, a half smirk on her face as she takes in the wide eyes that are nearly popping out of the mask Rocket's fur naturally poses as.

Rocket ignores the statement. “How the hell is he running around? What the fuck? Me 'n’ him have been doin’ this for so long and it's just got-got-”

The Zehoberei snickers at the fuzzball's surprise. Rocket knows he looks hilarious. His tail is tense, his fur standing on end, and his ears are twitching slightly as they sit stiff on the top of his head. But he can't help but continue to look on at the sapling on his leg, breathing fast. 

“Well,” Gamora begins, “we couldn't find anything good to watch. This planet’s selection is legitimately terrible. And Groot seemed to be bored. So we tried to walk again. But this time I used something to bait him with.”

Rocket is momentarily put off by the word 'bait’. Bait is for creatures, not for people. “Bait? Whatdja-”

Gamora pulls out a bag that Rocket recognizes as the colorful, sugary candies he likes to keep in mass stock. “I'd seen him eating these before. And I figured if he had some sort of insensitive that maybe he could keep himself on his feet for more than three steps. And to my surprise…”

“I am Groot!” the high-pitched voice yells out.  _ Gamora helps, Rocket! _

_ “ _ Y-Yeah, I can see that, buddy.” Rocket grabs the little guy up and sits him up on his shoulder

“She's pretty cool, I'd say, yeah?” he asks the tree, giving Gamora a sly smirk and side glance.

“I am Groot,” he agrees with a nod.

“I’d say maybe he was scared, more than anything, of failure, Rocket,” Gamora tells him, kneeling down on the raccoon’s level as she hands the tiny clear bag over to him. “But this made him forget about that. Once he saw these, he didn't even think about anything else. Surprised you didn't think of it sooner.”

Rocket takes the candies and popz a handful of the sugary delicacies into his mouth. “It’s coz these are mine and he doesn't need 'em. But of course it got him walking.” Rocket pokes the twig in the head teasingly. “Only candy could make ya forget about bein’ afraid, huh?”

Groot shakes his head. “I am Groooooot…,” he croons with a little smile.  _ Nooooo, of course nooooot. _

Rocket’s only viable response was a snort and an eyeroll.


End file.
